The Turnbull-Joyce government is bolstering aviation security to ensure those traveling to Australia are safe, and to maintain our strong security settings.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said airlines flying directly to Australia from three major transit airports in the Middle East will begin additional screening measures at the boarding gates.

“I want to assure people that there is no specific threat to Australia,” Mr Chester said.

“In response to national security advice the Federal Government has made precautionary changes and instructed airlines to implement new protocols from next week.

“Explosive detection screening will be conducted for randomly selected passengers and their baggage. Checks may also include targeted screening of electronic devices.

“Our changes are in line with the UK, which recently announced that people travelling from Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be subject to random explosive trace detection (ETD) screening.

“There is no ban on the carriage of electronic devices on flights to Australia at this stage.

“The Government is continuing to ensure Australians and visitors who travel by air can do so in the knowledge that every precaution is being taken to ensure they arrive at their destinations safely.

“The Federal Government has regular contact with international partners and will continue to monitor security developments and adjust security settings if needed.